Research in this group strives to wed observations in the laboratory and field to theory. We work at the scale of microns to the scale of the whole Earth, all in an attempt to better understand how our planet has differentiated into the diverse planet we experience today. Our observational tools are the rock hammer, the petrographic microscope, mass spectrometry for trace element and isotopic studies, and spectroscopy. We use our observations to drive simple geodynamic models, ranging from growth of thermal boundary layers to the development of soil profiles.

Research Statement

C-T A Lee's research focuses on using trace element and isotopic tracers to understand various geochemical processes. Ongoing research includes the following topics: 1) geochemical and dynamic differentiation of the Earth's mantle and crust, 2) trace metal cycling in oceans and the atmosphere, and 3) origin and evolution of weathering and soil horizons.

Li, Z-X A, and Lee, C-T A "Geochemical investigation of serpentinized oceanic lithospheric mantle in the Feather River Ophiolite, California: implications for the recycling rate of water by subduction." Chemical Geology, 235 (2006): 161-185.

Lee, C.-T. A "Trace-element evidence for hydrous metasomatism at the base of the North American lithosphere and possible association with Laramide low angle subduction." Journal of Geology, 113 (2005): 673-685.